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Invasive Species and Ecosystem Stressors

The Great Lakes region regularly encounters conditions that cause stress to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Occasionally, non-native species find their way into the region. Some of these invasive species outcompete native species or alter habitat. The GLSC conducts science to understand these stressors in order to explain their causes and consequences and reveal opportunities for intervention.

Filter Total Items: 9

Invasive Phragmites Science: Using Cutting-Edge Genetic Approaches to Develop New Management Tools for the Control of Invasive Phragmites

Invasive plants negatively impact our water, wildlife, and way of life. Current management tools are not cutting it, so a multi-agency research team is using molecular biotechnology to develop new species-specific treatments that help land managers improve the natural resources that we depend on and have more management options during droughts, floods, and other periods of plant stress. This...
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Invasive Phragmites Science: Using Cutting-Edge Genetic Approaches to Develop New Management Tools for the Control of Invasive Phragmites

Invasive plants negatively impact our water, wildlife, and way of life. Current management tools are not cutting it, so a multi-agency research team is using molecular biotechnology to develop new species-specific treatments that help land managers improve the natural resources that we depend on and have more management options during droughts, floods, and other periods of plant stress. This...
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Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework – Active Adaptive Management

Non-native Phragmites australis (Common Reed) has become established across the Great Lakes basin, outcompeting native plants and degrading natural habitats. Phragmites is managed using a variety of resource-intensive techniques, yet effectiveness of treatment may vary due to infestation level, application methods, environmental conditions, or other factors. With the goal to reduce uncertainty in...
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Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework – Active Adaptive Management

Non-native Phragmites australis (Common Reed) has become established across the Great Lakes basin, outcompeting native plants and degrading natural habitats. Phragmites is managed using a variety of resource-intensive techniques, yet effectiveness of treatment may vary due to infestation level, application methods, environmental conditions, or other factors. With the goal to reduce uncertainty in...
Learn More

Innovative Approaches for Wetland Restoration and Invasive Species Management

Coastal and wetland ecosystems provide critical habitat to birds, fish, wildlife, and a suite of other organisms, clean our water and mitigate flooding events, and offer tremendous recreational opportunities to visitors. However, the majority of coastal and wetland ecosystems in the Great Lakes basin have been significantly degraded or destroyed by ditching, draining, development, invasive species...
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Innovative Approaches for Wetland Restoration and Invasive Species Management

Coastal and wetland ecosystems provide critical habitat to birds, fish, wildlife, and a suite of other organisms, clean our water and mitigate flooding events, and offer tremendous recreational opportunities to visitors. However, the majority of coastal and wetland ecosystems in the Great Lakes basin have been significantly degraded or destroyed by ditching, draining, development, invasive species...
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Invasive Phragmites Science: Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative and the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework

Broad coordination is required to overcome large-scale regional challenges such as controlling a persistent invasive plant like Phragmites . Individual management actions may have local impact, but their implementation can be inefficient and landscape-scale impacts are limited. The highly successful Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative builds collaboration and facilitates communication on a...
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Invasive Phragmites Science: Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative and the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework

Broad coordination is required to overcome large-scale regional challenges such as controlling a persistent invasive plant like Phragmites . Individual management actions may have local impact, but their implementation can be inefficient and landscape-scale impacts are limited. The highly successful Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative builds collaboration and facilitates communication on a...
Learn More

Effects of Great Lakes water levels on coastal populations of Phragmites australis GeoNarrative

The "Phragmites Management and Variable Great Lakes Water Levels" GeoNarrative presents research by the US Geological Survey and US Fish and Wildlife Service on how Great Lakes water levels affect expansion and management of coastal Phragmites populations.
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Effects of Great Lakes water levels on coastal populations of Phragmites australis GeoNarrative

The "Phragmites Management and Variable Great Lakes Water Levels" GeoNarrative presents research by the US Geological Survey and US Fish and Wildlife Service on how Great Lakes water levels affect expansion and management of coastal Phragmites populations.
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Hammond Bay Biological Station

In Partnership with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission
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Hammond Bay Biological Station

In Partnership with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission
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Invasive Phragmites Science: Management Tools for the Control of Invasive Phragmites to Foster the Restoration of the Great Lakes

The USGS is developing innovative Phragmites control measures to keep this rapidly spreading invasive plant from further expanding its range into new wetland habitats and to aid in the development of successful restoration strategies. Scientists are conducting studies and field tests to determine (1) if microbes (i.e., fungi and bacteria) that live within and around Phragmites are enabling the...
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Invasive Phragmites Science: Management Tools for the Control of Invasive Phragmites to Foster the Restoration of the Great Lakes

The USGS is developing innovative Phragmites control measures to keep this rapidly spreading invasive plant from further expanding its range into new wetland habitats and to aid in the development of successful restoration strategies. Scientists are conducting studies and field tests to determine (1) if microbes (i.e., fungi and bacteria) that live within and around Phragmites are enabling the...
Learn More

Invasive Phragmites Science: Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative

Addressing a large-scale regional issue such as controlling a persistent invasive plant like Phragmites requires broad cross-sector coordination. Little progress is made and cost efficiencies are reduced when each entity works independently. The highly successful Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative builds collaboration and facilitates communication on a regional level with a common agenda and...
link

Invasive Phragmites Science: Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative

Addressing a large-scale regional issue such as controlling a persistent invasive plant like Phragmites requires broad cross-sector coordination. Little progress is made and cost efficiencies are reduced when each entity works independently. The highly successful Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative builds collaboration and facilitates communication on a regional level with a common agenda and...
Learn More

Survival and metamorphosis of Sea Lamprey in Lake Erie tributaries

Adult sea lamprey abundance in Lake Erie increased during the past decade, exceeding pre-control levels and causing extensive mortality on some strains of stocked lake trout (Markham 2015). Control agents speculate that this increase may be due to an uncontrolled larval sea lamprey population in the St. Clair River because other known sources of larval sea lampreys are regularly treated with...
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Survival and metamorphosis of Sea Lamprey in Lake Erie tributaries

Adult sea lamprey abundance in Lake Erie increased during the past decade, exceeding pre-control levels and causing extensive mortality on some strains of stocked lake trout (Markham 2015). Control agents speculate that this increase may be due to an uncontrolled larval sea lamprey population in the St. Clair River because other known sources of larval sea lampreys are regularly treated with...
Learn More